TEMECULA, Calif. — Marriott and Best Western are awarded the number one and two spots for the cyber world's ten best hotel brands, according to analytics firm Heardable, Inc. which measures online brand performance.

Why is the strength of a brand online important? Because a recognizable brand that stays top of mind with consumers is one of the key things that a business owner invests in when joining a franchise system.

Marriott's brand score of 706 out of 1,000 possible points beat its nearest competitor, Best Western, by just 4 points, or 0.57%, and surpassed third place Hyatt Hotels and Resorts by 27 points, or 3.82%. The gap between Marriott and lowest-ranked Jumeirah was 105 points, or 14.87%.

The study delves into everything from mobile readiness to social network participation and a brand's adeptness at SEO. Over 7,000 individual hotels were examined to distill the ten stand outs. Notable brands such as Westin Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Inter-Continental Hotels, Radisson, Starwood Hotels and The Four Seasons did not make it into the top 10.

Heardable says there three areas of competence where these ten online titans stand out — sharing and syndicating content, social media participation and search optimization. It notes that number one Marriott has associated its brand with some of the world's leading luxury brands such as Christie's auction house, Treasury Wine Estates, Aromatherapy Associates, and wellness experts Keri Glassman and Dr. Pamela Peeke – all in an effort to give its guests a luxury experience that speaks to their passions and interests.